Recommended Posts

It may be two years now since Chris asked people to please post an avatar of an image . I would like to request that again. The forum now has over 12,000 members and many are shadowed silhouettes rather than an image and with no information like where they are located or where they are in their ceramic involvement. It is really helpful to have some type of awareness when trying to communicate with others. So could people join the forum rather than remaining so anonymous.

Thanks.

Marcia

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

It's impolite not to introduce yourself. Also, who cares what a silhouette with no info to back it up says? When I see an interesting comment from someone on this forum, the first thing I do, if the person is new to me, is check out that person's profile and especially look for pics of pots in their profile gallery. If there something there it gives weight to that person's comment. If there's nothing there I ignore that person and couldn't care less what they have to say about anything.

Jim

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

It's impolite not to introduce yourself. Also, who cares what a silhouette with no info to back it up says? When I see an interesting comment from someone on this forum, the first thing I do, if the person is new to me, is check out that person's profile and especially look for pics of pots in their profile gallery. If there something there it gives weight to that person's comment. If there's nothing there I ignore that person and couldn't care less what they have to say about anything.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

Posting an avatar, a bio, and images in a gallery on your user profile is a good way to give all your postings some context, which expands the reader's ability to process the material.

Personally I think that a more "professional" level of forum such as this one should absolutely require that real names, not "handles", be used for accounts. But that is my own personal bias (and does not reflect CAD not Potters Council views on this subject).

I belong to a martial arts forum where this is true....... and it is a wonderful approach that helps to destroy the anonymous "snarky" stuff that tends to happen when people use the mask of psudonyms.

best,

...............john

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

It's impolite not to introduce yourself. Also, who cares what a silhouette with no info to back it up says? When I see an interesting comment from someone on this forum, the first thing I do, if the person is new to me, is check out that person's profile and especially look for pics of pots in their profile gallery. If there something there it gives weight to that person's comment. If there's nothing there I ignore that person and couldn't care less what they have to say about anything.

Jim

Kinda petty. Fine request, but I wouldn't want to be ignored.

I'm ignoring you.

Jim

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

I don't endorse the idea that lurkers should be told not to lurk. I think lurking is just fine, and telling lurkers not to lurk is a good way to get fewer people to join in, rather than more. So I say lurk as much as you want!

If you do want to join in on threads, I do think your profile should provide some information about you. I think hometowns are important, since lots of our topics are relevant to someone's location. And I like real names too, either in your handle or in your signature. As for avatars, there are people like me who are a little squeamish about having our photos online, and I think those feelings should be respected. But still you can use a graphic or a photo of your work to represent you. This adds to good communication, which is not always easy across the internet.

Mea

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

Thanks Mea. I didn't intend to require photo id ..just some image including their work or an expression of something individual. There are 12,000 members AND even more lurkers. The internet and cyber space can be a great tool but it can also be an isolating media if people choose to remain anonymous.

So some indication of where people are from would be a great start. I know this is a very international crowd.

Marcia

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

I don't endorse the idea that lurkers should be told not to lurk. I think lurking is just fine, and telling lurkers not to lurk is a good way to get fewer people to join in, rather than more. So I say lurk as much as you want!

If you do want to join in on threads, I do think your profile should provide some information about you. I think hometowns are important, since lots of our topics are relevant to someone's location. And I like real names too, either in your handle or in your signature. As for avatars, there are people like me who are a little squeamish about having our photos online, and I think those feelings should be respected. But still you can use a graphic or a photo of your work to represent you. This adds to good communication, which is not always easy across the internet.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

As I understand it you do not have to JOIN the CAD forums to see the forum postings. They are to my knowledge open for ANYONE on the net to see. So my feelings are that lurkers of all sorts are GREAT to have. And you can join, but not really post. That's cool too.

So as both Jim and Marcia said. I did not mean in any way to imply at ALL that "lurkers" are not welcome.

When they feel comfortable enough to start posting...... whether that is sharing some advice or ideas or asking questions ......... then is the time where having more information about them (pictures of work, bio, etc.) would be a great benefit to everyone.

And I think that in THIS particular forum section of the overall CAD forums .... the Potters Council section........ having the background on our fellow Potters Council members would be VERY important to the overall "sense of community".

best,

....................john

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

It's impolite not to introduce yourself. Also, who cares what a silhouette with no info to back it up says? When I see an interesting comment from someone on this forum, the first thing I do, if the person is new to me, is check out that person's profile and especially look for pics of pots in their profile gallery. If there something there it gives weight to that person's comment. If there's nothing there I ignore that person and couldn't care less what they have to say about anything.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

It's impolite not to introduce yourself. Also, who cares what a silhouette with no info to back it up says? When I see an interesting comment from someone on this forum, the first thing I do, if the person is new to me, is check out that person's profile and especially look for pics of pots in their profile gallery. If there something there it gives weight to that person's comment. If there's nothing there I ignore that person and couldn't care less what they have to say about anything.

Link to post

Share on other sites

have you considered that some of us, (i hope i am not the only one) cannot figure out HOW TO POST AVATARS? could you please approach someone not as skilled with computers and ask them to figure out what the instructions mean on your profile page? you might be surprised that the instructions do not match what shows up.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

have you considered that some of us, (i hope i am not the only one) cannot figure out HOW TO POST AVATARS? could you please approach someone not as skilled with computers and ask them to figure out what the instructions mean on your profile page? you might be surprised that the instructions do not match what shows up.

Next time that teenager comes over have them post your avatar-its just as simple as the photos you now can post.

mark

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

It's impolite not to introduce yourself. Also, who cares what a silhouette with no info to back it up says? When I see an interesting comment from someone on this forum, the first thing I do, if the person is new to me, is check out that person's profile and especially look for pics of pots in their profile gallery. If there something there it gives weight to that person's comment. If there's nothing there I ignore that person and couldn't care less what they have to say about anything.

Link to post

Share on other sites

have you considered that some of us, (i hope i am not the only one) cannot figure out HOW TO POST AVATARS? could you please approach someone not as skilled with computers and ask them to figure out what the instructions mean on your profile page? you might be surprised that the instructions do not match what shows up.

Next time that teenager comes over have them post your avatar-its just as simple as the photos you now can post.

mark

mark, he posted the picture just as we discovered the message that our setup for the holiday sale had changed from 4 pm to 2 pm so i never got to see what he did. i hope to leave for florida in the next day or so, if my car ever gets REALLY fixed, so i will not see him until april. i sent a photo to docweathers and asked him to post it from email to here. haven't heard back. been at the car dealer ALL DAY and just drove a rental home. i have put my birthday in three times. do you see it????? i have a message from selsor and do not know how to reply to it. but it finally took my city info.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

I think what I like best about the avatars is thinking about what people chose and why ... Some, like that colorful zebra, make me smile every time I see them. Thanks!

Anyhow if you don't want an image of yourself for privacy reasons, and you don't want an image of your pots for whatever reason ... then just find an image you like and post it ... It's gotta be better than the creepy silhouette thingy!

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

I think what I like best about the avatars is thinking about what people chose and why ... Some, like that colorful zebra, make me smile every time I see them. Thanks!

Anyhow if you don't want an image of yourself for privacy reasons, and you don't want an image of your pots for whatever reason ... then just find an image you like and post it ... It's gotta be better than the creepy silhouette thingy!

Oh dear. I have always liked the +/- buttons, but hitting the right one while reading on my iPad is more challenging than I thought. I meant to plus one your post, but minused instead! I don't see a way to fix it. Eek! Now I think I'm the one that has opened up a new can of worms with this post.... Ruh-Roh... ( thinking about the last post about those buttons. Wasn't pretty....)

I'm glad you and Martha like my avatar, it says a bit about me in multiple ways and I like the artistic quality of it.